Device



A. C. McCLURE.

WHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.29. 1917.

1,8 17,449. Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

grwantoz 14. E. M- ll'lure ALEXANDER C. MGCLURE, OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY.

WHEEL-FLANGE-LUBRICATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

Application filed August 29, 1917. Serial No. 188,782.

To all whom'z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER G. M0- CLURn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Paducah, in the county of Mo- Cracken and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVVheel-Flange-Lubricating Devices; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to improvements in lubricating devices forflanges of locomotive wheels, and the primary object of the invention isto provide a lubricator of this type, which includes a lubricantconveying tube mounted in such a novel manner that the same willaccompany the flange of the wheel during any movement of the wheel in avertical or lateral direction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lubricator of thistype having a reservoir including strainers located, respectively, atthe inlet and discharge ports of the reservoir, so as to insure of theoil in passing from the reservoir being free of all foreign matter.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a lubricator ofthis nature that will be efficient and durable and, one in which thecomponent parts thereon are arranged in a convenient and compact manner.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodimentof my invention of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompany drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lubricator detached from operativeposition,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the lubricator in operative position,

Fig. 3 is a front view of the lubricator,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken through the reservoir,

Fig. 5 is a vertical elevation of the lubricant conveying pipe detachedfrom operative position and showing the same partially 111 section,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 4c.

Fig. 7 is a section through the reservoir, showing the oil levelindicator therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

numeral 1 designates a bracket arm that has one end secured to the mainframe A of a locomotive engine by means: of suitable fastening elements,designated 2. The arm 1 extends outwardly from the frame, as shown inthe drawings, and forms a support for a reservoir 3. The reservoir 3 isprovided at two of the opposing sides thereof with straps 4c, and theouter end of the arm 1 is provided with a vertical extension or arm 5,which is formed integral with the arm 1 and extends through the straps 4on one side of the reservoir structure 3. The straps 4 at the oppositeside of the reservoir structure receive a vertical arm 6, which has itslower end resting on the horizontal arm 1 and is provided with a lateralextension 7, which is secured to the arm 1 by means of a suitablefastening element 8.. The reservoir 1 has an inlet opening in the upperor top wall thereof, which is normally closed by means of a hinged door9. When the door 9 is in operative or closing position, the same isretained in the mentioned position by means of a suitable resilientfastener 10, which is carried by one of the side walls of the reservoirand is adapted to engage over the door 9, and is provided with amanipulating element 11 disposed, normally, above the plane of the door9. Downwardly converging bafiie plates, designated12, depend from thewalls of the inlet opening and have their lower ends provided withoppose ing flanges that support a suitable screen or straining element13. The lower wall of the reservoir 3 is provided with a discharge oroutlet opening 1 1, which communicates with an opening in the lower wallof a hollow cylindrical body 15, and is positioned within the reservoir3. The wall of the hollow body 15 is provided with a plurality ofperforations, designated 16, and the upper end of the body 15 is closedby means of a closure 17 The perforated hollow body 1 5 serves as astrainer through which the oil has to pass before being dischargedthrough the discharge port or opening 14 in the lower wall of the bodyof the reservoir. A controlling stem 18 is mounted for verticalreciprocating movement within the reservoir 3, and has its lower endreduced, as shown at 19, and extended through the closure 17 and throughthe body 15, and has the lower terminal thereof pointed to extend intothe opening or discharge port 14L when the stem is moved downwardly, soas to close the port 14 and prevent the flow of lubricating oiltherethrough. The upper end of the reduced portion 19 is threaded forengagement with the opening inthe closure 17 through which the reducedend 19 extends. The upper end of the stem 18 projects through the upperwall of thereservoir body 3 and is provided with a head 21, which can beconveniently grasped by the hand of the operator so as to effectrotation of the stem so as to admit of the latter being moved either inan upward-or downward direction. A coiled spring 22 encircles the upperend of the reduced portion 19 of the stem 18 and is interposed betweenthe closure 17 and the shoulder formed on the stem 18 by reducing thestem.. When the stem 18 is moved downwardly, the spring 22 will becompressed and exert an upward force on the sten'118 and cause tightengagement between the threaded portion 20 on the re duced end 19 of thestem 18 and the threaded wall of the opening in the cover 17, so as toprevent rotation of the stem 18 when the reservoir is subjected to jaror vibration. When the stem 18 is adjusted upwardly, the spring 22 willstill partiallybe tensioned,

and exert a similar upward force on the stein 18 so as to causefrictional engagement between the threaded portion 20 and the threadedwall in the cover 17, so as to prevent rotation of the stem 18 when thereservoir 3 is vibrated during the travel of the engine. 'Mounted withinthe reservoir body 3 is a float 23, to which is secured a verticallydisposed rod 24, which extends through a sleeve 25 mounted in the upperwall of the reservoir body 3. The upper or outer end of the rod 24 isprovided with a head 26, which is adapted to serve. as an indicator.When the reservoir is filled with oil the float. 23 will be raisedupwardly and effect raising of the rod 24. The rod 24 and head 26 willserve as means by which the amount of oil within the reservoir can bedetermined, as the point to which the head, or indicator, willbe raisedwill be determined by the position ofthe float 23 within the reservoir.

A feed pipe 27 has one end communicat-' ing with the discharge port 14,in the lower wall ofthe hollow cylindrical body 15, and the saidpipeprojects into the upper end of a relatively large pipe 28, the upper endof the latter pipe being connected, by a suitable joint, to the lowerwall of a reservoir 3. The pipe 28 is provided with a sight opening 29therein, which is disposed opposite the terminal of the inner end of thefeed pipe 27, so as to admit of the amount of oil being dischargedthrough the pipe 27 being determined. The pipe 28 has a lateral bend, asshown at 30, and has the lower or free end thereof received by the upperend of a lubricant conveying pipe 31. The upper end of the pipe 31 hasconnection with one of the leaves of a leaf hinge 32, the

shown at 39, and provided with a rectangular' shaped opening 40. Thelubricant conveying pipe 31 has a. filler .42 therein formed of suitableabsorbent material. The lowerend of the pipe 31 is curved in conformityto the curvature ofthe inner faceof the flange B of a wheel'A, and inthe upper inner side of this curved end the pipe is provided with areduced outlet 43 which is adapted to bepositioned directly opposite theinner face of the flange B when the device is in applied position. Aguide 44 is secured to the inner side of the pipe 31 at 45, and it islocated directly opposite the outlet opening 43. The guider44 and theopposing portion of the lower end of the pipe 31 form a recess 46 whichis adapted to receive the flange B, and the opposing walls of this.recess are adapted, by reason of their engagement with the inner andouter faces of the flange B, to hold the lower end'of the pipe 31 inengagement with the flange B regardless of any turning or transversemovements that the wheel may have with relation to the frame A. Theflange B of the wheel C travels, during the'rotation of the wheel C,through therecess 46, and the lower end of the filler 42, contacts withthe inner face of the flange l3 and applies a coating of oil to theinner side of the flange during the rotation of the wheel. v

A split collar 47 encircles the lower end of the pipe 31, and has itsopposite ends 48 extended in parallelism a'ndh'as fitted therebetweenone end of a r'Od' 49, the opposite end' o'f'th'e rod 49 being slidablyreceived by the opening 40 formed in the inwardly deflected portion 39of the Vertical upright 35. The width of the opening '40 is considerablylarger than the diameter of the rod 49, and the said rod 49 is adaptedto have longitudinal adjustment through the opening 40, and to be heldin different adjusted positions by means of a nut 50, which is turnedonthe outer end of the rod 49 and adjustable against the outer face Loftheinwardly d'e-' flected portion 39. A coiled spring 51 encircles the rod49and is interposed between the inwardly deflected portion 39 of theupright 35, and the ears 48 on the collar 47.

the pipe to normal position after the force, which eflected movement ofthe pipe 31 in the direction of the upright 35, has been removed. Thehinge 32 admits of the pipe 31 having vertical movement should the wheelC be moved vertically during rotation thereof, and by virtue of the factthat the element 3& pivotally secures the upper hinge 32 to the adjacentarm of the bracket 33, the pipe 31 can have relative lateral movementshould the wheel C have lateral movement during rotation thereof.

It is evident that various changes might be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

1. A wheel flange lubricator including a vertical bracket arm providedwith angular members, a hinge having one of its leaves pivoted to one ofsaid members, a lubricant conveying pipe having its upper end secured tothe other leaf of the hinge, a rod con- Copies of this patent may beobtained for nected to the lower end of the pipe and having slidableengagement with the other of said members, and a spring surrounding therod and located between said other member and the pipe.

2. A wheel flange lubricator including a horizontal bracket arm providedwith a pair of vertical members, a reservoir mounted upon the horizontalarm between said members, and means engaging said members an reservoir.1

3. A wheel flange lubricator including a reservoir having an outletopening, a strainer surrounding said opening and provided with a topwall, a valve stem having threaded engagement with said Wall andprovided with a shoulder, and a spring located between said wall andsaid shoulder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER G. MoCLURE.

Witnesses G. E. JENNINGS, MARIE HELSLEY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G."

